Arc Ten. Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Four. A Night At The Museum

Once the dust had settled Peter found himself holding a rather impressive amount of money. Not just AIM but actually Parker Inc. Pepper and Matt had been true to their word and with several million dollars in the bank, Peter decided to expand the warehouse.

Not from any sense of adding more partners, but giving everyone more space, adding in more facilities such as a gym and a bigger kitchen Peter instructed Matt to try and purchase the buildings on either side of the warehouse, a parking lot might be handy as well, as with a lot more money everyone was slowly buying cars and the lot had become full. 

It was also now an issue of privacy. Cindy and Eddie were fine, but sometimes the group had to hurriedly slip back into clothes and leave Cindy waiting for the bathhouse to be cleaned before they would let her use it.

On the east side, the building purchase was easy. The owner had enough of giant robots, and military scuffles and sold it without too much hassle. Matt did warn Peter he had paid a slightly higher price, but Peter didn't mind, and the plans to connect each building, and add in a secret underground facility were being sketched as Matt filled out the paperwork.

On the west side, Matt came across a peculiar problem. The building had already been sold, for similar reasons, but to Tony Stark. Fearing the worst, Matt let Peter know and after he had calmed down, Peter called Tony.

“The warehouse right?” Was all Tony said, “Give me five and I’ll be there.” and hung up.

Peter waited outside, letting the others who were free explore the new building and Tony landed in a new Iron Man armour, it was still the same gaudy red, but this suit was slimmer and a shiny silver and red colour.

“Can we go inside, I’d prefer not to scuff my armour.” Peter laughed and lifted an arm, motioning for Tony to head in first.

As he approached the breakfast table, the front of the suit split and flooded back, shrinking down until it slid into a suit that Tony was wearing underneath.

“Like it, I got the idea from that harness, and no, I didn’t, it's my own design.” 

Peter shrugged and as Tony sat at the table, Peter took to the other side.

“No coffee?”

Peter took a breath, “Just say your piece, apologise to Friday and get the hell out of my home. Friday is the only reason you're still walking, and-” but Tony raised a hand,

“I'm sorry.” and Peter stopped and stared at him, “you heard me. I am actually sorry. For everything.”

Peter was shocked, he had never expected Tony to actually apologise, or not to him anyway. “Uh, okay, want to explain why.”

“Well, okay, not everything. You did sleep with Pepper, you did steal her, and you are still a little shit, but everything else, I'm sorry.” Tony said, “now can I have a coffee?”

“Nope, because I don’t believe this for one moment. This is another stupid scheme to pin the blame on me for something, so no. Explain or leave.”

Tony slouched back, and rubbed a hand over his face, “They got me, the government. At first, they wanted the suits, and I said no, but the attack on Times Square added in some legal issues. Then Ultron, and I may have broken a few international treaties, then Extremis, and you know how bad that can be. I messed up and the government held it over my head.” Tony leaned forwards, looking around the warehouse. “One moment” and he handed Peter a small dome, “I know you’re technopathic, so test it and then switch it on.”

Taking the dome Peter found it was a white noise generator, as well a lot of anti-snooping devices, most of which were already active in the warehouse, thanks to advice from Natasha, Maria, and Fury. Shrugging, Peter activated it, another layer of security never hurt anyone and it wouldn't interfere with what was already there.

“They didn't promise me immunity for Vision and the others, they held them over me to get you to admit you were Venom, and I couldn't Pete, I couldn't let that happen. I can lose everything, but not them. So, I’m sorry.”

Peter sighed and rubbed a hand over his chin, “So does he get coffee?” 

A sad-looking Friday stuck her head out and nodded, “he apologised, so yes, he can have coffee.”

Peter smiled and lifted the pot, pouring out two mugs, “So, what happens now?”

“I am starting fresh. Stark Solutions. They got Extremis and the Mark 25 I think, so expect not just the Gamma Troopers but an Extremis branch and I think they’re calling us Industrials. Those of us who use drones or tech to fight.”

Peter put down the pot, “no doofus, with us. With you and Friday.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, “Vision needs a steady supply of Vibranium to fix the mess you made, and I would like you to help with that. Jocasta is not happy, but once she sees her sister, will calm down. I would like to talk to Pepper and get some of her lawsuits dismissed, as a personal favour. And I would like the quantum generator back.”

Peter drained his cup, “You’re asking a lot. And so far all I'm hearing is what you want from me, not what I’ll be getting in return.” 

Tony's knuckles whitened as he gripped his cup, “Return? I saved your ass, I made sure nobody knows who you are. I put my ass on the line so nobody knew what I was doing, and you want to settle? You owe me, and you know it.”

Peter snorted, “Oh really? I’ll take care of that, The Senate isn't up my ass about my identity anymore, but I hear you and Gwen will be dragged over the coals about your serums. You did nothing I wasn't already doing, so yeah, you owe me. And Liv has the generator, so, yeah. Good luck getting that back from her.”

“Fine. What do you want?” Tony hissed through gritted teeth.

“I’ll fix Vision, but then the Vibranium contract goes back to T’Challa. If you want more, you can talk to Wakanda about it. Your Symbiote disruptor, I want the specs, you thought you were smart, a gun that disrupts my cells, well guess what dumbshit. It disintegrates all symbiotic tissue, and I have nine extremely angry hosts all wanting to turn you inside out over it. And after making sure that Pepper is happy, you will apologise.”

Tony frowned, “I never touched her.” 

Peter raised an eyebrow, “she was angry and hurt after she caught you screwing Maya. One mistake she said, but it was hers. She was so close to getting back together with you and you screwed it up. Apologise and make it right. I don't care about you, Tony. I used to look up to you, I admired you but you’re just as stupid and petty as the rest of us. Never meet your heroes, and well, I did and for five years we've been at each other's throats.”

“I can’t, she’ll kill me.”

Peter shrugged, “Don’t care. Fix it or I'll let her take you to the cleaners.”

Tony leant forwards, “Maya’s pregnant.”

Peter laughed and shook his head, “At least Pepper will have closure, and what, you don't think she wouldn't notice in two or three months. You and I both know Pepper isn't stupid, so tell her or she’ll find out anyway.”

“Uh boss?” and Tony looked over, “not you, new boss. I’ll go back with Tony to meet Pepper, maybe smooth things over with Jo and Vis at the same time. Plus, I have my new skin, maybe see about getting one for Jo as well?” and 

Peter half shrugged, “up to you Friday.” 

She nodded, “Let me get changed,” and ran off into the home she was using.

“Speak to Liv, as head of Stark Solutions speaking to the Head of OckTech. What she says goes,” Peter sighed, “so, thank you as well. Things might not be great, things could be better, but you stuck your neck out for us, so thanks.”

Tony raised an eyebrow “no apology, you know, for the chest thing?”

Peter shook his head, “don’t push it, Vision did a number on me too, a little payback was in order,” but he stopped as a newly outfitted Friday, in a cute summer dress strode out of her home. 

Peter smiled at her and Tony was about to call his armour when Friday looked down at the dress, at what she thought Tony was about to suggest and she tutted, “Call a cab or your limo. I am not showing New York my panties, pervert.”

Tony laughed and pulled out his phone, “Yeah Happy, come get me, at DB’s.” As Peter shook his head, Tony held out an arm “shall we?” Friday took it and the pair left together.

Sighing a breath of relief, Peter hoped that was the last time he would have to deal with Tony's stupid attitude. As he rinsed out their cups in the sink he knew deep down that it would never be that easy.

A month passed, and the chilly autumn air was fresh outside of the new workspace Peter had been building. The second warehouse was to be a gym and training facility, connected to the homes by a large tunnel. Walls were erected and with proper planning, Peter not only had a pool dug out, which allowed them to mask an underground bunker, but a properly lined and secured training area, with a suitable reinforced floor. Under the ring was the entrance to the bunker, which doubled as a panic room for those unwilling to fight, and a storage room for the more dangerous of the tech they were building. 

The group also decided to move the visitor homes to the other warehouse, and use the space to connect the tunnel. While everything was easy enough to dismantle, Peter did feel a small twinge of pain as he cut a hole in the side of the warehouse for the tunnel, but once it was all patched and painted it looked neet. The tunnel itself was a simple open plan corridor, with tinted windows, and without letting anyone know the whole structure was reinforced with webbing and adamantium, Shuri made sure that both warehouses were blast-proof as well as snoop proof.

Feeling generous, Peter extended an invite to anyone currently using the spare homes, letting Cindy, Ivan, and Eddie all rent the newer homes in the second warehouse, on the understanding of what it was to be for. Yelena and Melina both took homes, while Alexsi was led away in cuffs by Shield. Coulson had already made good on his promise, and as long as Alexsi was depowered, he could spend the rest of his sentence under house arrest, once he had a house to live in.

Keeping the rent low, as it was mainly amenities and utilities, and the spare homes were simply dismantled and moved, the trio agreed, each getting a key to the corridor but on the understanding that a red marker on the door meant not to enter. 

The warehouse was back to being a family only zone, and with Peter moving his workspace and the meeting room to the other building, he extended the space in the penthouse apartment, allowing the newer residents, disrupted by the building work to choose a different home.

He had also tried to contact Charles, to see if a danger room that Logan had mentioned could be arranged but the mansion was empty. Even after the Sentinel problem had been dealt with there was no activity and Jean hadn’t returned either.

All he had received were vague messages, that things were fine and she would be home as soon as she could. He was worried, but as space travel was currently beyond his means, and Carol had difficulty reaching that high, all they could do was wait.

As the new facility was complete they had a small gathering, the pool was filled and as they were about to enjoy the first swim with a small snack selection, Liv excitedly rushed in, holding a leaflet.

Laughing so hard she had to stop and catch her breath, she handed the leaflet to Gwen who burst out laughing before dodging out of Peter's grasp and handing it to Felicia. The game of tag soon spread between everyone and once Liv had the leaflet back she just shook her head as he advanced with a huge grin,

“Why don't you wait, and go outside and see,” and even as Peter frowned, Liv just smiled and laughed, “Oh it's much better than the leaflet.”

As Peter scowled as heard into the newly refurbished parking lot he saw the new warehouse on the west side. Not the warehouse itself but what was on top.

A giant Iron Man, with an open faceplate showing Tony’s huge face, was smiling and waving, and as Peter moved around he saw “Iron Man - The Museum,” in giant red and gold lettering on a neon sign, unlit but being wired to the main.

“That asshole,” Peter muttered to himself as Liv almost doubled over in laughter.

The sign creaked at first but the giant armoured hand started to wave.

Seeing the small crowd gathering, Peter heard someone shout, “You like it?” and Tony was there, Peter noticed the slim-fitting yellow hazard armour he was wearing, and each of the contractors seemed to have similar but not as advanced suits on. As he saw Peter looking over, he broke out into a smug grin, “I thought, with the government seizing my asset I needed a new source of revenue. Industrial suits, easy to make, and really handy for construction, thought I’d test them building this. It's got a cafe, a gift shop, and a lot of exhibits. Oh, you should see the one where a giant screen replays me punching Venom through a wall, it's spectacular.”

While Liv and the rest stared in quiet amusement at Peter's face Tony smiled and went back to directing the building work,

“Don't you dare,” Liv scolded him, “he is allowed,” but Peter still huffed.

The next day, as Tony quietly laughed to himself, he directed the workmen to clean the display. Someone had managed to get past his state of the art security, drawn thick black glasses on his likeness, coloured in a strange victorian style villain moustache and blacked in several of the bright white teeth in the smile. While he couldn’t prove it, he knew exactly who it was, 

oh, it's on, Parker, it's on.